ab

1 of 6

noun (1)

: an abdominal muscle
usually used in plural

ab

2 of 6

abbreviation (1)

about
: the 11th month of the civil year or the 5th month of the ecclesiastical year in the Jewish calendar see Months of the Principal Calendars Table
: the one of the four ABO blood groups characterized by the presence of antigens designated by the letters A and B and by the absence of antibodies against these antigens

AB

5 of 6

abbreviation (2)

1
able seaman; able-bodied seaman
2
abort; abortion
3
airborne
4
airman basic
5
Alberta
6
[New Latin artium baccalaureus] bachelor of arts

ab-

6 of 6

prefix

: from : away : off
abaxial

Examples of ab in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Noun
Start with your toes and move up to your calves, thighs, butt, abs, hands, forearms, biceps, back, neck and face. Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 31 Oct. 2024 The internet’s latest obsession is with the 23-year-old Olympic champion, who accidentally flashed his abs during the medal ceremony after Italy won the bronze medal for the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay on July 27. Staff Author, Peoplemag, 30 July 2024 For example, once the contestants made it past auditions and into a smaller cohort, the remaining contenders were constantly corralled into the gym, having food taken away from them, and belittled for not having six-pack abs. Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 15 Oct. 2024 Contract your abs to press your low back into the floor. Amy Marturana Winderl, SELF, 9 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for ab 

Word History

Etymology

Noun (2)

Hebrew Ābh

Prefix

Middle English, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, from Latin ab-, abs-, a-, from ab, a — more at of

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1956, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

circa 1771, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1927, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ab was circa 1771

Dictionary Entries Near ab

Cite this Entry

“Ab.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ab. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

ab-

prefix
: from : away : departing from
abnormal
Etymology

Prefix

Latin ab- "from, away"

Medical Definition

ab

1 of 4 noun
: abdominal
usually used in plural
highly developed abs
ab exercises

ab

2 of 4 abbreviation
1
or AB abort; abortion
2
about

AB

3 of 4 noun
: the one of the four ABO blood groups characterized by the presence of antigens designated by the letters A and B and by the absence of antibodies against these antigens

AB

4 of 4 abbreviation
1
aid to blind
2
[Latin artium baccalaureus] bachelor of arts

More from Merriam-Webster on ab

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!